#ROADTOBOA Interview: Beholder

Here we go again… Last year we covered every band on the Hobgoblin New Blood and Jagermeister stages in the run-up to Bloodstock 2015. This year, we’re going one better and aim to have interviews from all the bands on those two stages as well as all of those on the SOPHIE stage prior to the event kicking off on August 11th. That’s almost 100 interviews to get online for you lucky people over the course of the next couple of weeks. I bloody love this job, but you lot owe me a beer at Catton Hall, right?

Primarily we’re based in the Midlands – Coventry, Leicester and surrounding areas.

How did you meet?

The band was started by myself some 10 years back and the guys have all come on board over the years. I guess some of us were aware of each other’s work prior to settling on the line up, yet it took for a number of line up changes before we settled on this line up.

How long have you been playing together as a band?

Chris and Si have been with the band since prior to the first album The Awakening while Scott has been on board from The Order of Chaos.

Where does the name of the band come from?

I chose it back in the day working on the premise of looking into “The Eye of the Beholder” and seeing the real truth, the real fears etc. It’s all a little out there I guess but the name’s kinda cool and relatively easy to remember.

What are your influences – individually or as a band?

Everything from Doom, Prog, Tech and Folk – there is no one set boundary to our musical influences which I think is great and helps mold the Beholder sound. Sure, we all tip our hat to the likes of Sabbath and the masters but we’re as inspired by the likes of Gojira and Mastodon as I am personally with singer songwriters. Kind of weird I guess but it works.

Describe your music. What makes you unique?

Honest. Pure and simple. We don’t write tunes to service an audience and I don’t write lyrics for any other narrative but to express feelings and thoughts at the time. Sounds kind of insular but it goes towards creating the true Beholder experience if you will, where all is laid out and we invest our feelings as well as our abilities as songwriters.

What’s your live show like – why should the baying hordes troop over to the stage you’re playing on to watch you?

Well this year at BOA we’re celebrating the Reflections album which has been our most welcomed release thus far… so expect a whole new production with guest guitarists and vocals from some well recognised members of UK and Scandinavian bands. That’s all I’m saying right now.

When/how did you find out you’d been selected to play at Bloodstock?

About 12 months ago – I work for BOA so if I said any different you wouldn’t believe me anyway. Haha!

What sort of setlist can we expect?

Basically tracks from Reflections but with a few twists and turns. From beginning to the end it’ll be pretty relentless.

Which main stage band do you most hope you’re not clashing with so you can see them play?

Hahaha! Again I work on most aspects of the show so I know already… No comment.

What are you working on at the moment?

The band is locked in the rehearsal studio at present – not only for the BOA show but also we’ll be out on tour as special guests to Onslaught in November. Taking in a bunch of dates in the UK and Ireland.

What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done on tour?

Far too many to mention and the phrase “what goes on tour – stay on tour” strictly applies.

What advice would you give to a young band just starting out today?

Don’t sign to shitty labels, don’t be afraid to be yourself and tell the nay-sayers to fuck off.

If you could be part of any 3-band line-up who else would you have on the bill? One band above you and one below – a chance to plug a smaller, unsigned act!

Black Sabbath & Cambion. Either can headline and we’d be happy to open up.

What stage / time are you playing at Bloodstock (if you have your slot yet!)

We’re playing the Sophie Lancaster Stage on the Friday (early evening) … then drinking Hobgoblin for the rest of the weekend. See ya there!